I'm searching through the fab database CD which comes with Marcus' Sklo Union book to try and identify trinket sets for my Glass Trinket Set website* (see link in sig below). One of the most commonly seen trays is a shaped one - found so far in clear, pink and green - but without any marks or registration number to be able to pin in down.

On the CD I found another tray in the same unusual shape but with a different bottom pattern, so the question is, would the moulds have had interchangeable bottoms or would there have been two or more patterns in the same overall shape? Oddly enough, although the same shape, I've not found the pattern shown in the catalogue anywhere as yet. Photo attached shows the catalogue image (courtesy of Marcus Newhall) alongside one of my trays in the same shape.

(* The idea is to build up a reference website to showcase them and provide a ref/identification site available to all - it's very much a work in progress so far from complete yet!)

Anne - There is no technical reason why the moulds could not have had interchangeable centres ("bottoms"). They may have been designed with loose centres anyway to aid removal of the article. If not it might have been cheaper to make separate moulds for each pattern - either is possible.

Adam, thank you for confirming what I'd suspected, much appreciated. Now I need to try and find a tray in the catalogue image design rather than the other one (which I seem to have around 6 of at the moment!)

This is the first time I've seen a real one of these rather than the catalogue image! I was beginning to doubt their existence as all the trays we see in this shape have the other base pattern on them.

It would be interesting to compare this size for size / shape matching with one of the others like I have... as you're probably at the other end of the country to me, can I post you a paper trace around one of mine for you to sit yours onto and see if the shape and size matches or differs?

If we can match them then my theory of interchangeable bases holds water.

I'll lift the photo from here and add it to the GTS - the black background shows the pattern off beautifully, thank you!

Glad you like it Anne, no problem at all. It's pretty isn't it and in perfect condition. I have a couple of the Crystalor ones myself in green and clear, and it is exactly the same size. I can do more pics of the two together side by side or anything else you require if you like? Excited to see my pic on the site too!

Yes please, side by side pics would be really good thank you. :rah: If you'd like your photos credited in any way other than I've shown please drop me an email with details and I'll change it.

Are any of your Crystalor ones labelled by any chance? I'm after a good close up picture of the Crystalor label for the GTS website, as well as a picture of the green tray if possible?

The next question is... were Crystalor an importer of certain items as well as / or instead of being a glassmaker? And, just who were Crystalor... Answers on a postcard or the back of a stuck down envelope... :t:

I notice the Crystalor set pieces show many similarities to the Century "Margaret" pieces, (not sure if you have that one on your site) also they seem to share the same pieces as your mystery set 6.

Is it possible Crystalor was just a design/pattern name for the set rather than maker? Also noticed someone selling a Crystalor tray today calling it a Fostoria piece, probably a red herring, but I did a little research and found on Wiki

They are super, thank you! Seeing them side by side is very helpful. It shows that there is a slight variation in the edgings which wasn't apparent from the catalogue image. I've noticed the similarity to Century as well - they were one of my original suspects for the ones we've seen marked as Crystalor... I wonder if Crystalor was a tradename of Century glass?

I'm not sure about a Fostoria connection as I've not looked at American glass much yet, but most of their sets seems well-documented in the Whitmyer book. And we see so many of these over here that they must have been made for the British market if not made here?

I'll add these onto GTS along with the green Crystalor pics as well. Thank you!